The Paraclete - Week 20

John 16


Note: The study related to these questions may be found at Catholic Exchange. Please go to their site for the complete material concerning this study. Unless otherwise noted, on scriptural references are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Below are my thoughts on the questions presented for the given study (Please see disclaimer at bottom).

Read John 16:1-33

1. Jesus predicts His followers will be thrown out of synagogues and even killed. Why would these religious leaders think they are serving God by doing this?
(a) Since they do not "know Jesus", they would think that the followers of Jesus were heretics.

2. Who is the "ruler of this world" in verse 11? What does it mean that he (the ruler) is judged?
(a) Satan. (b) Satan is judged as having rejected God and as such is an example to the world of the consequence of those actions.

3. Read verses 12-13. What things was Jesus referring to that His Apostles could not yet bear to hear? How does the Spirit guide into all truth?
(a) The suffering that He and His Apostles would endure on His account. (b) The Spirit guides into all truth by guiding us into Christ. As Jesus stated, He is "the way, the truth, and the life".

4. What reasons did Jesus have for telling his followers that they would be persecuted and even killed? Why didn't He tell them this earlier? What kind of comfort does He promise them?
(a) In order to prepare them. (b) They would not have been ready to hear this. (c) He promises to send the "Counselor" and that they will have peace within Jesus.

5. Why was it necessary for Jesus to go before the Holy Spirit could come?
(a) Before our redemption through Christ, the Holy Spirit was only available to a few. As Moses states in the Book of Numbers:

24: So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent. 25: Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more. 26: Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27: And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28: And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, forbid them." 29: But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" (Num 11:24-29)
By redeeming us and bringing us into the family of God, Jesus has made the Holy Spirit availabe to us all. In Baptism, we are baptized into the Death of Christ, so that we might also be baptized into His Resurrection. We are a new creation are sealed with the Holy Spirit:
11: In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, 12: we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. 13: In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14: which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:11-14)


6. In this chapter the most important task of the Holy Spirit mentioned is conviction. What are some of the things of which the Holy Spirit convicts the world?
(a) The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

7. In verse 9, Jesus states that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin because "they do not believe in Me". Explain how not believing in Jesus is a sin.
(a) Not believing in Jesus is a sin if you understand that Jesus died for us and in turn reject the grace resulting from His sacrifice.

8. How does the Holy Spirit convince a person of their sins?
(a) Through the example of Christ.

9. What is Jesus referring to when He states "you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful but your sorrow will turn to joy"?
(a) He is referring to the suffering His disciples will endure on His account from the world that rejected Him.

10. How does the Holy Spirit convince the world of righteousness? What was the Jewish view of righteousness?
(a) Because Jesus is now with the Father. (b) The Jewish view of righteousness was through the Mosaic Law.

11. What is the judgment of which we are convinced by the Holy Spirit?
(a) Through the example of Satan.

12. According to paragraph 729 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, when is the Holy Spirit sent and by whom?
(a) From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Only when the hour has arrived for his glorification does Jesus promise the coming of the Holy Spirit, since his Death and Resurrection will fulfill the promise made to the fathers. The Spirit of truth, the other Paraclete, will be given by the Father in answer to Jesus' prayer; he will be sent by the Father in Jesus' name; and Jesus will send him from the Father's side, since he comes from the Father. The Holy Spirit will come and we shall know him; he will be with us for ever; he will remain with us. The Spirit will teach us everything, remind us of all that Christ said to us and bear witness to him. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth and will glorify Christ. He will prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. (CCC, 729)


Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
 Alfredo Nevarez
 512-916-4755 (Evening)
 512-602-0388 (Daytime)
 alfredo@nevarez.net
 http://www.nevarez.net/alf/catholic/bible_study/